Goodnight: Concluding Confessions
by Gallifrey Byrned
Summary: The team knows he is afraid of being hurt but he never knew why. But Coulson eventually opened up and there was only one person there to listen.


**A/N: Hello! I've said before I went on a holiday and apparently I came back early enough to publish this just in time for New Year. I had nothing better to do honestly during my late nights at the hotel so I came up with this because there was request for a one-shot, a sequel for Goodnight(if you've read it before, you should know eheheh). It isn't as fluffy I wanted it to be but yeah. Do read and reviews are truly and very much welcomed!**

**Disclaimer: Yes. I don't own AOS or the characters. Don't rub it in on me.**

**PS, Kingsleigh. It's yours. :)**

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The team had begun to crack jokes once more, teasing each other again since the day Coulson returned. He had begun talking to them again, seating down together for meals. Coulson even helped Simmons out with the cooking and sitting down occasionally in silence together with May in the cockpit. With the boys, he just sat around and watch them play Scrabble, settling them down when they had an argument about whether or not was a word really English.

But they still have a tinge of tense in their interaction. They just felt a little awkward having Coulson around again, considering what he might have gone through when he was being taken. They know he was learning to trust again after what had happened when he was with Peterson.

Behind his smiles, they know he was hurt. He had been hurt before, to leave behind a cellist that once held his heart. But to be hurt again after finding someone to care for once more, they know he is afraid. He is afraid of leaving them behind, his own little team he had gathered. They know he cared for them, ready to take the bullet for them whenever.

When they see him sometimes, sitting alone at night on the lounge couch staring blankly at the TV screen. The screen could be showing a scene where McGarrett could be in a middle of a chase and yet he stares at it as if there is no motion on it. The team would leave him alone and from their bunks, they could hear him let out a loud, heavy sigh.

Skye observed this too. She felt him ache, her heart ached. She tries to crack a joke with him some times and he would only chuckle. She would make him hot chocolates on nights both of them could not sleep but that was it. He had apologized for being ignorant in the first place, yes. But somehow, he left behind cracks in the walls that just cannot be fixed.

It was a week after he apologized, when she stood in front of her bunk and saw Coulson seating alone on the couch but not watching anything, which was when she realized the cracks may not be able to be fixed, but at least she could plaster it up and conceal it.

Skye walked up to him slowly, bearing in mind not to startle him. But he was actually asleep. His back leaning into the couch, his head straight up but he was asleep. Skye sat gently beside him, _He's going to have sore neck if sleeps like this, _she thought. Skye took the back of his neck with one hand and slowly, she lowered Coulson down and placed the cushion behind his head. Skye moved away, to carry his legs up and set it down on the couch. When Coulson was fully down on his back, he fidgeted, laying down on his side, folding his arms but still in his sleep.

_Why doesn't he ever get out of his suit?_

Skye stood up and walked over to her bunk, grabbing her blanket and returned.

She stood over the couch, staring down at him as she held on to the blanket. Coulson looked peaceful. He looked peaceful when he is asleep. Skye lowered down and gently placed the blanket over him. She sat lightly by his side and stroked his hair, rearranging it – it's kind of unkempt although there was not much of it. She chuckled at the thought, causing Coulson's eyes to shoot open.

"Shhh…" Skye stroked his hair again. Coulson looked at her in confusion, his head still heavy with sleep. She panicked, "Oh my- Sorry, I woke you up. Please go back to sleep."

Coulson continued to stare at her as he lay on the couch.

"I'll just… I'll go back to my bunk." Skye got up but she could not go further when she felt a hand grabbed her wrist.

"Can you stay with me till I fall asleep?" Skye stared at him.

_Okay. Didn't see that coming._

He looked a little less broken but still shattered she realized, now that he was awake. Skye sat back down by his side, staring back into his blue eyes that were staring back at her. "Can you do that again?"

"Huh?" Skye tilted her head. _Okay, what?_

"Can you stroke my hair again?" Skye was silent. She remained still for a while at Coulson's request until she got back to her senses, leaning over and started stroking his hair again. Skye dazed off as she did that, staring emptily at his hair, ignorant at the fact that he was looking straight at her.

"Are you okay?" Skye whispered. She really had no idea whether there was a need or not to do that.

"Yeah. I'm fine. I just like it."

"Like what?"

"You, stroking my hair."

"Hmm."

"No one does that to me, you know." Coulson continued, "So, thank you."

"Hush. You're just tired."

Coulson took the hand that was stroking his hair, "You're very kind. Do you know that?"

_Okay, AC. You're talking too much now._

"Are you drunk?" Skye sniffed, trying to detect the scent of alcohol.

"Just some hot chocolate. I couldn't make ones as nice as yours."

"Coulson," Skye pulled away her hand and sat up, "You're tired. Go to sleep. Why are you even out here and not in your office?"

"Oh, I was thinking if I should wake you up and make me hot chocolate and company me to watch Five-0 but I guess I was a little too exhausted making a decision." Coulson turned to lie fully on his back.

"You're like a baby. Are you sure you're not drunk?"

Coulson groaned, feeling his head ache, "Okay. I lied. I drank a little but I did make myself the hot chocolate."

Skye rolled her eyes_. If he's going to rest, he could at least have gotten out of the suit into something comfortable,_ she thought. But she did not say a thing because she was slightly amused that Coulson became so childish when he got drunk. Skye chuckled at the thought, pulling the blanket further up that it covered his hands, only revealing his neck upwards. But he pulled his arms from under it and reached out, his eyes closed, "Can you help me to bed?"

"You're tired, AC. Just sleep here."

Coulson pouted, his arms still reaching out, "No, no. My office please. I want to change."

Skye raised an eyebrow.

"What? Do you think this tie is not suffocating me? Please. Help me."

Skye laughed and pulled one of his arms over her shoulders, supporting him as he stumbled trying to get up, "Woah. I just had two shots. It must be a really long times since I last drank."

Skye laughed again, _he sure does talk a lot when he gets drunk._

They stumbled their way to the stairs, he tripped over a step, Skye almost went off balance while they were going up the stairs, a little fimble-fumble, and they finally reached his office. Skye slid open the door and then stared at his office, "Where is your bed?"

"Eheheeee…" Coulson chuckled, "That's the best part of my office. It's…. hidden." He spoke with a tone of purposely applied melodrama.

Skye shook her head in disbelief at his lack of sobriety, making a mental note to remind him about it when he is sober enough the next day. But meanwhile, Skye sat him down on one of his couch.

"Urghh… This suit is really annoying." _I thought he loved his suit, _Skye mentally mumbled to herself. Coulson leaned back into the couch and closed his eyes, "Can you get me my T-Shirt and shorts?"

"You have T-Shirts and shorts?"

"Don't mock me. Just get it."

Skye went to his closet and opened it. But she did not take anything out of it, "There's no t-shirts and shorts here, AC. It's just grey suits and white shirts. And ties. Lots of striped ties."

"Eheheeee…." Coulson chuckled again, "That's another best part of my office. It's…. hidden."

Skye simply laughed at his stupor, it was becoming more amusing for her.

"Push everything aside." He instructed, "You should be able to see a white clutch. Slide it open."

She did as he instructed and true enough, he does have t-shirts and shorts, neatly folded and separated into three sections – the standard S.H.I.E.L.D. t-shirts, his personal t-shirts and his standard S.H.I.E.L.D shorts. Skye grabbed one of his personal t-shirts only to find the t-shirt printed with the Captain America's shield design on it. Skye took a peek at the rest of his t-shirts and there were others, another one with the design of Stark's arc reactor on it. She found another one, which has a printed bow and arrow on it and also one that has a design looked like Thor's mjolnir on it.

"Did you get it yet?"

"Yeah. But which one do you want?"

There was a pause.

"Get me the shorts and my Iron Man one." Skye walked up to him, the black shorts in one hand and the t-shirt in the other. She handed it out to him and he took it. Coulson placed it on his lap and stared at it, "Urgh. That means I have to get up to change."

"Maybe I should go back now."

"Pshhh. No need to rush. Just wait outside while I change, will you?"

Skye nodded and went outside; part of her worrying Coulson might stumble and fall while changing. While she waited, she wondered,_ Coulson must have been really proud to have worked side by side with The Avengers._

"SKYEEE!" Coulson yelled.

Skye startled out of her wonder, sliding the door open and rushed inside, only to find Coulson lying down on the floor – fully clothed but bare-footed.

"I was about to pull out my bed." He groaned.

Skye smiled at his childishness. _I like it when he's drunk._ "How do I pull out your bed?"

Coulson remained on the floor, "Just push my desk to the side and pull out the bed from the bottom. It's heavy though."

Skye did, with a little bit of a difficulty considering pushing and pulling heavy stuff was not her one of her strengths.

"Are you done yet?"

"AC, I'm saving your precious crap."

"EH. Those are not crap. Those are unique and memorable items of the past. What do you know? Kids these days and their technology." Skye rolled her eyes. When the bed was finally set, she helped Coulson up and let him to lie down for his sleep. But he could not even seem to manage himself having to flop on the bed, face down into his pillow, one arm and leg out, dangling over the bedside. Skye pulled it up and placed it properly on the bed, "Dammit, can you help yourself?"

"I… can't." He rolled over on his back, "Thanks, Skye."

"You're troublesome, do you know that?" She sat by his side.

"Eh. You too. The paperwork I have to do when you repeatedly hacked the systems. Pssh." He looked away. Skye took his blanket and pull it up all the way to his chest. Coulson clutch unto it tightly and sighed heavily, "I know. I know."

"You know what?" Skye patted the blanket at his feet.

"You're wondering, aren't you?"

"AC, you too talk too much."

"You're wondering, _AC loves superheroes. AC wants to be one._"

"Okay, AC. Sleep now."

"Yes, I did Skye. I always do." Skye paused. "I'm always under orders. Fury will be like, _Coulson! Have you been keeping up with Banner? Is he doing okay? Coulson! Get Stark. We need him. Goddamn that consultant._"

"Enough rambling for the day, Coulson."

"_Coulson! Goddammit! I told you to look after Stark! He has got his suit on, flying about New York!" _

Skye laughed at his drunken imitation of Fury.

"You know, Skye. When I was a boy," Skye could not help but to stroke his hair as he spoke, "I grew up saluting to posters of Steve Rogers. Do you know who Steve is?"

She shook her head.

"He goes better off as Captain America."

"Hmm."

"When I was a boy, I had a Captain America's mask on and I'll run around and take the trash can cover and paint it in the colours of his shield." He proudly smirked.

"Red, white and blue."

"Yeah. And the star in the centre too."

"Of course." Skye chuckled.

Coulson rolled over on his side to look at her, "You know, as a boy, I have always wanted to be like Captain Rogers. And as I grow older, I still am the little boy inside. I still wanted to be a superhero. But I didn't have a vibranium shield, I didn't have a flying metal suit, I can't turn into a green monster. I can't work well with bows and arrows nor do I have gorgeous red flowing hair. Plus, I'm not even close to the god Thor is. So, where do I stand right?"

He took the hand that was stroking his hair and held it in between his, "I wanted to feel important, you know. Be someone who everybody looks up to. But I realized I can never be. I'm just an agent. I follow orders. I don't fight like they do. I want figurines of myself to be displayed in toy stores too. I know they won't look as good as The Avengers' but people know you, you know?"

"Go to sleep, AC." She patted his arm with her free hand.

"And then I tried to play hero once, which I failed because I died. I died – rarely can anyone say that, eh?" Skye laughed. "But I just caused more trouble for them because they had to struggle to try to revive me."

"AC, stop."

"Then, I brought the team together. Honestly, I never thought it will even work out. But I found you. Smart, intelligent, gorgeous but just a little too talkative." Skye blushed, "But you believed in working together. You believed in the importance each and every one plays as their own selves. You make the team feel important. You made _me_ feel important. But as much I want to feel important, I want _you guys_ to know that you are important to me. And I don't want to leave anyone of you hurt by me or anyone else."

"AC, you're drunk and exhausted."

"But that doesn't mean what I say isn't true. That's why I gave you the second chance, Skye. And you proved yourself to me." Coulson kissed her hand, "And those are just some of the reasons why I love you, Skye. There are lots more but you have no idea how hard it is for me to put it in words and sometimes I wonder, if I ever did die – truly die – did I tell you enough that I love you?"

Coulson let go of her hand and lay on his back again, "Oh gosh. I really hope I won't forget what I just said. I always forget when I'm drunk. Some say I'm not like me when I'm drunk either. They say I behave like a child. Well, kids are cute. I suppose they meant that I'm cute when I'm drunk."

_Very poor sense of humour too, that is, AC, _Skye thought to herself.

He exhaled loudly and closed his eyes, "I think I'm going to sleep now. Please don't tell anyone about what I just said."

Skye wiped away a tear that had started rolling down her cheek, "I won't. It's okay if you forgot. I'll always remember what you said."

"Goodnight Skye."

"Goodnight to you too, AC." Skye stroked his hair before leaning over to kiss his forehead, "I love you too."

Skye continued to seat by the bedside as she watched him sleep and wiped the tears that started to fall. She understood what it feels like to feel unimportant. And to have him make her feel important because she makes him feel that way really moved her. Because she hardly had anyone to care for before. And here he is, trying his best to secure his small little team, caring for each and every one. Skye reached out and held his hand, leaning over too his ear and stroking his hair with the other, she whispered, "You _are_ important, AC. You have always been."


End file.
